Konkani Community Honours Dr Ramdas Pai and Yogish Bhat
Pics by Savitha B R
Daijiworld Media Network - FR

Mangalore, Mar 6 : A grand felicitation function was organized to felicitate Dr Ramdas Pai for being honoured with the Padma Bhushana  and N Yogish Bhat for being elected as the Dy Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly.  The felicitation function was held at the Town Hall toady (5th March 2011)  under the aegis of Konkani Language and Cultural Foundation of World Konkani Centre, Mangalore, on behalf of the Konkani community.  Madame Grace Pinto, Managing Director of Ryan International Group  of  institutions,  who was the chief guest on the occasion,   honored Dr Ramdas Pai.  Entrepreneur Walter D Souza, Chairman of the Southern Region of Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) introduced Dr Ramdas Pai to the assembled audience.  Fr Eric Crasta, President of Konkani Bhasha Mandal,  honored  N Yogish Bhat,  and he was introduced to the audience by  Narayana Kamath.  
 
Accepting the honour  Padma Bhushan Dr Ramdas Pai said that he has accepted the felicitation considering it as a recognition for the services rendered in the field of  education, healthcare and the corporate sector.   He stated  “This honour is not for me, it is for the community.  You have made me what I am today.  I have only carried forward the rich tradition started by my father, the  late TMA Pai.  I don’t consider my contribution in these fields as an individual accomplishment.  It is the team efforts  of all those associated  in our  education, health care and the corporate sectors”.

Commenting on the revolution initiated in the medical heath care in the form of Manipal Health card Dr Pai said that the Manipal group would make every conceivable effort to cover the entire population of the district under the  Manipal Health Card  within the next few  years. 
Responding to a fervent appeal made by  N Yogish Bhat  and T V  Mohandas Pai of Infosys to provide some  succor  to the middle class families of the district, Dr Ramdas Pai announced that  one lakh middle class families will be covered under medical insurance scheme of the Manipal group within the next two years.  

N Yogish Bhat  responded to the felicitation saying “I have taken only few steps in my duty to the public and I have greater things to achieve.  I have not won this coveted position due to my personal charisma, but because of the trust people bestowed on me”.  He further added “ I am in the dirty field of politics with an intention to cleanse the muck even while ensuring  the dirt does not fall on me”.  Yogish Bhat also said that he has been guided by two factors in his public life.  “I firmly believe in god the almighty and  also think that nothing is impossible for me.  These two beliefs have greatly helped me in discharging my duties sincerely and with conviction”, he stated.  

Yogish Bhat pointed out that as a legislator he would strive to make Mangalore the number one fastest growing city in Karnataka.  “My next priority is to ensure not only 100 per cent water supply but water supply 24x7x365, which will be achieved within the next two years.  Efforts are directed to provide good roads and develop infrastructure,  improvement in health care facilities and facilities in government schools.   Within the next two years Government Wenlock and Lady Goshen  hospitals in Mangalore will be as good as any other private hospitals l in the city.  Priority will also be given to develop Mangalore as a tourist destination.  Our efforts will be to make Mangalore a model city”,  he stated.

Grace Pinto in her address commended the two Konkani luminaries for their achievements.  She describing Dr Ramdas Pai as a diamond and complimented the role of his wife in  his achievement.  “Generally people say behind every successful man there is a woman.  But I say you are beside him and not behind him”, she said pointing out to Dr Ramdas’s  wife.  She said she admired the three p’s of perseverance, persistence and patience, the embodiments which describe Dr Ramdas Pai.  “We admire your courage and conviction.  You are an example for your youth and to our children”, she said to Dr Ramdas Pai.  Recalling the contributions of the Pais of Manipal  in diverse fields she said that it is a matter of tremendous pride for all Konkanis to  see the students of Manipal  in every nook and corner of the globe, which stand testimony to the standards of education maintained by this  group of institutions. 

Fr Eric Crasta in his address it is a matter of pride for all the Konkani people to felicitate the sons of Konkani  soil who have brought laurels to the community.  He lauded the efforts of Dr Ramdas Pai in the field of education.  He described Yogish Bhat as a humanist, a rare quality, not  found among the politicians of today. “Yogish Bhat is honest and sincere and these are the hallmarks of this value-based politician”, he remarked. 

T V Mohandas Pai described Dr Ramdas as “the son of an illustrious father”.   He also said “here are very few people who enhance the prestige of the award given to them.  But Dr Ramdas Pai has enhanced the value of Padma Bhushan award and has demonstrated  that the value of the award depends on the value of the individual.  He  has transcended the glory of India outside the corridors of India”. 

Mohandas Pai  pointed out “the Konkani community is proud of it sons because you stand for all that is good and noble in the country.   In a poor country like ours the only gift  people can get is the gift of education  and Dr Ramdas has provided  education to thousands of students.  “In our country we have the tradition where we say “pithra devobhava or mathra devobhava and you are the “acharya devobha va”, he  declared. 

About Yogish Bhat Mohandas Pai stated that political leaders have to live a life of public service.  But in Yogish but we have a politician who puts his public service  ahead of his  personal interest.   “Yogish Bhat has brought honour to the chair he occupies”, Mohandas Pai remarked.  He also said “as Dy Speaker you have the responsibility to ensure people’s voice is  heard”. 

Dr P Dayananda Pai, who presided over the function, said “awards are accidental but achieving something meaningful is a continuous process”.  He seconded the views of Yogish Bhat saying “complete trust in god is a sure fire way of attaining success in whatever people do.   He called upon Dr Ramdas Pai  to give some sort of concession  to Konkani people rather than giving  seats only on merit in their institutions.  About Ramdas Pai he said “he is a role model not only for me  but also for the entire Konkani community”.   Comparing both Dr Ramdas Pai and N Yogish Bhat Dayananda Pai said  Yogish Bhat is a clean politician who is not corrupt and Dr Ramdas does not give in to corruption.  Both are honest and sincere in their lives and they have made the Konkani  community proud. 

Dayananda Pai said “even if 10 to 12 Konkani people come together and take a pledge to work for the benefit of our community, we can make Konkani community like the Parsi community.  I have made a firm decision in this direction to contribute in my own way.   Every person  can contribute in their way, may be in the form of money, service, skill and some people can give their own blood ”. 

Earlier Basti Vaman Shenoy, President of  Konkani  Language and Cultural  Foundation,  welcomed the gathering.   He described  Dr Ramdas Pai as “Manipal Brahma” Yogish Bhat as “the  lotus that bloomed the dirt”.  Dayananda Pai also felicitated  former Minister Nagaraja Shetty  with shawl and flowers.   Venkatesh Baliga, Kudpi Jagadeesh Shenoy,  S M Arshad , Raghunath Shet were present on the dais. 

At the fag end of the programme the general public who wanted to wish both the achievers  were allowed to  wish the  felicitators of the day.   

Venkatesh Baliga, Secretary of Konkani Language proposed a vote of thanks.   Concepta Fernandes compered the program.   The programme ended with sugama sangeet.